This invention relates to fine arts sculpture and the method for manufacturing such sculpture in the form of rigid animal figures having hair. The representation of hair on animal figures, human and non-human, has always been a challenge to artists. Fine hair structures cannot be cast as a part of the sculpture, since the casting materials, such as metals, ceramic slips or organic resins will not flow into very small mold passages. Hence, cast representations of hair end up as a textured heavy mass, stylized to disguise the lack of realism, and usually having the solid, opaque appearance of cake frosting. Such attempts are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 259,479; 293,218; 293,220; 293,560 and 293,959. The result of attempts to represent individual hair fibers in hard materials, such as ceramic or metal requires gross enlargement of the cross-sectional size of the hair strands, usually resulting in hair that looks very much like cooked spaghetti.
Chains have been attached to sculptures for many years to represent ropes, cords, sashes, animal harnesses, and the like, but have not had available a realistic method for their use to represent hair on human figures, or manes and tails of other animals.